Rue 21 coming to Northland Mall

STERLING – A national fashion retailer for the young – and young at heart – is opening in Northland Mall this summer.

Rue 21 will arrive in July or August, spokeswoman Kelly Evanovich confirmed this afternoon. Typically, about 15 full- and part-time employees are hired, she said.

Rue's target audience is 11- to 17-year-olds, although customers of all ages shop their stores, which offer "guys and girls clothing [and accessories] ... to anyone with a flair for fashion," Evanovich said.

The company, based in Warrendale, Pa., operates more than 1,000 stores in 47 states; its expansion plan calls for opening 120 new sites a year, she said.

There are four others in malls within a 50-mile radius of Sterling: in the Peru Mall in Peru, in South Park Mall in Moline, in CherryVale Mall in Rockford and at NorthPark Mall in Davenport, Iowa. Go to www.rue21.com to learn more about the store.

Rue's arrival may take a bit of the sting out of the mall's loss of Kirlin's Hallmark, which is closing Sunday after four decades at Northland. It has 13 employees.

Information on where in the mall Rue will locate, and how big the store will be, was not available this afternoon; Northland Mall general manager Karyn Brouilette has not yet returned a call for comment.